This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fuel systems for internal combustion engines which utilize a hydrocarbon fuel such as gasoline.
It is well known that much of the fuel value of gasoline is wasted or not utilized and that if the fuel could be broken down into its constituent parts before being compressed and burned within the engine, greater percentage of efficiency could be obtained.
The present invention utilizes waste heat from the engine, firstly, to preheat the air and secondly, to raise the temperature of the fuel thereby vaporizing same and pressurizing the vapor to which it is mixed with the preheated and compressed air prior to entering the engine.
In accordance with the invention there is provided in a carburetor system an air intake and an inlet manifold, a carburetor operatively connected thereto, a supply of fuel, an exhaust system, a coolant system including a radiator and a thermostat operatively controlling the flow of coolant to and from said radiator; the improvement comprising in combination: means for compressing the air from said air intake, means to preheat said air by said exhaust system, a fuel vaporizing unit operatively connected to the supply of fuel, means to operatively connect said coolant system with said fuel vaporizing unit to vaporize fuel within said unit when said coolant reaches a predetermined temperature, means to operatively connect said fuel vaporizing unit with said inlet manifold when a predetermined pressure of vapor is generated within said unit, and means to by-pass the carburetor and route the preheated and compressed air from said air intake to said inlet manifold and to mix same with the fuel vapor from said unit.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which operates from start until predetermined temperatures are reached, with a conventional carburetor and then automatically switches to the constituent fuel/air mixture when such temperatures are reached within the coolant system.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is readily adapted for use with the majority of internal combustion engines.
A still further advantage of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: